From silicon to software: Qualcomm’s expanding role in the automotive value chain

The April workshop served as a focused continuation of Qualcomm’s evolving automotive strategy — a narrative that has been building steadily since its introduction at the previous year’s Snapdragon Summit and reiterated during CES 2025. With a clear emphasis on ADAS and automated driving, Qualcomm used the session to highlight not only its current capabilities, but also the architectural and ecosystem shifts needed to support the rapid adoption of AI-driven systems in automotive.

Qualcomm has rapidly and deliberately expanded into the automotive sector, positioning itself as a key enabler of the software-defined vehicle era. This is partly a result of the company’s implementation of strategies developed in the mobile phone market, including power efficiency and the value of having a comprehensive ecosystem. As a result, Qualcomm has transformed its automotive portfolio from basic connectivity solutions to a comprehensive suite that includes digital cockpit technologies, advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving platforms.